Humans and Hanyous
by Red's-Fury
Summary: What's this? Kagome's hurt and... wait. Are those... dog ears? Uh oh. Kagome and Inuyasha get to square off and see whose temper is worse. Miroku and Sango have to keep the peace and Sesshomaru is smirking. InuKag, MirSan. Rated T for language and blood
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**_ Hey again. I know I need to update 'Why?' but I need to flesh it out some more before I do. Until then, here's a new story, another Inuyasha fic. _

_I've been on an Inuyasha kick thanks to Ducky. (You know who you are! shakes fist) Well, we started doing an RP that was slightly similar, and this idea originally stemmed from that. I wanted to write something, but she thought it was too cliche so it got shelved._

_Anyway, this idea came back to me in the shower of all places. (Yes, I know I'm weird. I take pride in my strangeness.) I imagine it's been done before, but I wanted to try it anyway. You can all kick me later._

_I suppose I should stick with either the manga or the episodes, either in Japanese or English, but I'm not. I use some Japanese terms, mostly 'hanyou' (which means half-demon) and though Kagome's name should be Higurashi Kagome because of the culture, it's the other way around. Other than that, it's a pretty straight-forward fic._

_One other thing. This will probably be updated pretty quickly. I know how I want it to go, at least for a little bit. If you'd be so kind as to leave a review and let me know what you think, that would be awesome._

_On with the story!  
_

* * *

It was a normal day in the Warring States era. Well, to Kagome at least. They'd run into a dozen lesser demons, three wild boars, a hungry bear, and another of Naraku's demon puppets. In her mind, it was as normal as she was ever going to get.

It has been nearly three years since the first time Kagome Higurashi had fallen through the well in her family's shrine and ended up 500 years in the past. She was now eighteen and, after nearly failing middle school due to her long absences, she'd made it through all her exams. Instead of going on to high school like she'd originally planned, she had decided to spend her time in the past: traveling, learning about her miko powers, and other things like that.

She had blossomed into an attractive woman, and now the young village men were often following after her. She liked to watch Inuyasha as they did. He would watch with his eyes, growling low in his throat, and one of them got a little too close for comfort, his eyes would narrow, his ears would flatten and he would crack his knuckles threateningly. Whoever had been trying to get close to Kagome quickly backed off, and she had to sigh heavily. He was acting either like a boyfriend or an older brother, but she couldn't figure out which.

Miroku and Sango were still traveling with them as well, and the monk was still caught in his pervert ways. He still groped Sango, and she still slapped him. He would just smile guiltily and continue on. Both of them had grown a little as well.

Even Shippo was growing up. He was a little taller and a little less of a nuisance to Inuyasha. Sure, he was still a trickster, but he knew when to stop.

It seemed as if Inuyasha was the only one of the group who hadn't changed, at least not physically. Of course, that might have been because he was a hanyou or half-demon, which meant that although he didn't age as slow as a full demon or as fast as a human, he still aged. His only change was that he'd toned down his temper a little.

Now, as I was saying before, Kagome thought it was a normal day. The sun was shining as they trudged through yet another corpse-strewn field. The sight of so many battlefields used to turn her stomach, but now it just seemed like another part of life.

They were coming to another patch of forest when a gray blur flew out at them. Inuyasha pulled Tetsusaiga and told Kagome to get behind him. She obeyed, but pulled out her bow, notched an arrow and aimed at the creature over Inuyasha's sholder. Miroku readied his staff and Sango unstrapped her bone boomerang.

The gray blur sharpened and became a large dog demon, snarling with fangs bared, foam and blood dripping from its muzzle. "It's feral! Don't let it bite you!" Miroku yelled to everyone and was rewarded with nods.

Inuyasha kept his sword leveled at the creature, waiting for it to attack. "Kagome? Do you sense a jewel shard on it?" He whispered to her, not wanting to alert the beast. Kagome concentrated, then shook her head. "Nope, no shards," she whispered back, lowering her bow. That meant that he could use the Wind Scar without worry.

Just as the half-demon raised his sword over his head, the beast caught sight of him. It growled and Inuyasha froze. This creature may have been feral and a full demon, but it was still a dog. Dogs will always fight for dominance, and this was no exception. The creature howled and the half-demon stuck his sword in the ground, advancing with only claws.

Kagome was struck dumb. She stared as Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and started growling, circling the giant animal. She wasn't the only one. Miroku and Sango seemed to have the same thought. 'What is he doing?! He's going to get himself killed! Idiot!' Kagome raised her bow and took aim, only to have Inuyasha turn his amber gaze on her.

"Put down the bow. This is between me and him."

Kagome stared, stupified as Inuyasha squared off against the giant dog again. This was like watching him handle Sesshomaru, and she'd seen how well that went over. Still, she didn't want to get Inuyasha killed, so she lowered the bow and relaxed the string, but kept the arrow nocked.

He seemed to deem that fair and the hanyou returned his attention to the dog demon. It was still snarling and circling, but every so often it's eyes would drift. Inuyasha wondered what it was looking for, but shook his head and focused. He couldn't get distracted.

The fight didn't last very long and Inuyasha had the upper hand the entire time. The dog demon was too feral to have much of a battle plan. It only attacked as many times as it could. Soon, it was dripping blood from numerous wounds inflicted by the hanyou's claws. Just as Inuyasha was getting ready to deliver the final blow and destroy the beast, it turned and saw Kagome, still holding her bow and arrow. It gave a great snarl and charged her.

To Kagome, it looked as if time had come to a crawl. She could see the beast coming close to her, could see herself raising her bow, could vaguely hear Miroku and Sango scrambling to help her, could even hear Inuyasha telling her to run, but it was all in molasses. As soon as the dog was only a foot from her, everything returned to normal speed again. She let the arrow fly, closing her eyes and dropping to the ground.

Her aim was off. The arrow only hit the demon in the side, making it scream in pain. With long fangs, it bit into the fleshy creature as he barreled into it. The momentum carried them both back into the corpse-strewn field. The demon's teeth were now firmy lodged in Kagome's side and she screamed as fire raced through her.

That scream was what broke Inuyasha. Without the Tetsusaiga in hand, his transformation to demon was swift and he took down the demon dog in two swipes of his claws. Without stopping to wait for anyone else, he picked up the bleeding girl and raced for the village where old Kaede was.

Miroku and Sango looked at each with confusion. That was something new. They'd never seen Inuyasha change and still act normal. They quickly gathered up their things, including Inuyasha's sword and Kagome's now broken bow, got on Kirara and flew after the hanyou and the the hurt girl

* * *

_Well, what did you think? Good, bad, or indifferent? I'd really like some feedback. I don't have any beta readers, so what you see is what you get. _

_If you want more (and faster ;-) ) all you need to do is press the little button in the corner down there. It says 'Review' and makes me super happy. -_

_Later, peeps. Red out._


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**_ Wow! Four reviews, three favs, and three alerts in one day for just one chapter! I think I may have stumbled upon something. (cackles maniacally)_

_Anyway, here's chapter 2. I still don't reveal much, so it's the next chapter you'll get a peek at Kagome. (Insert another maniacal laugh) As promised, this is actually coming along pretty quickly._

_Still, I know people are reading this. 54 hits... Come on! Leave me a review. I don't care if it isn't signed. I don't care if its for nothing more than to point grammatical mistakes. Just leave me something! shakes fist_

_sigh Oh well. Tis the life of a suffering artist, I imagine. I'll try to have the next chapter either tomorrow or next week. (Going home for spring break, but I won't have internet access on my lappie. Again, oh well. I'll update when I can.)_

_On with the show!  
_

* * *

The rest of the day was nothing but anxiety. Inuyasha, now back to his normal self, was pacing outside Kaede's hut, growling and muttering to himself. Sango and Miroku had, wisely, went into the village to find a place to stay for the night. They didn't want to be anywhere near the half-demon when he was irritated like this. 

Inside the hut, Kaede had patched up Kagome and now the young miko was resting. She still had a high fever, most likely from the dog's feral bite, and she would shiver occasionally, but overall she was quiet. An hour passed, then two, then four and it was then that Kaede noticed something strange.

Kagome was healing faster than any normal human should. The gaping hole that had been in her side was now down to something that Inuyasha would be up walking with. The old priestess frowned and looked the girl over. One of Kagome's hands was clenched on the outside of the blanket and Kaede could see her nails lengthening, getting sharper. 'Like claws, if I'm not mistaken.' That was a bit surprising. She'd never heard of a mortal undergoing changes because of a demon's bite, but then this girl wasn't an ordinary mortal.

Kaede left the hut to go get some water, but she placed a seal on the outside that prevented Inuyasha from getting inside. She wanted to see how much Kagome would change, and she didn't want to deal with an angry hanyou.

Inuyasha waited until the old hag was out of sight before approaching the hut. He barely noticed the seal until he was zapped by it. He was on the ground, cursing and snarling when Kaede returned.

"Tried to get through, did ye, Inuyasha?" All she got in return was a glare and a low growl.

She shook her head and went inside, letting the half-demon rage at her outside. She knelt next to the fire and looked over at Kagome. The young girl was now sweating profusely. From what Kaede could see, the girl's ears were now pointed and covered in what looked like black fuzz. She sighed heavily. 'Inuyasha will not be pleased to see this.' She stirred the coals and waited for Kagome to wake.

A few hours later and Kagome finally stirred. Surprisingly, the first thing she noticed, even before she opened her eyes was that her hearing was much better. She could hear wood creaking, the wind in some trees, and a low cursing and snarling from somewhere. She opened a bleary eye and stared up at the ceiling. 'Inside? How'd I get inside?' The next thing that came to her sleep-muddled brain was that she smelled like wet dog. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

Kaede had been watching Kagome for all this time. She'd seen some spectacular changes in the girl's appearance and wondered if she should make her home soundproof, if such a thing was possible. When Kagome saw her new countenance, she was sure to scream.

"'Tis nice to see ye awake, child. Ye had us worried." Kaede stirred the fire again, organizing her thoughts.

"Worried? Wha' happened?" She asked sleepily, opening her eyes and blinking away the sleep.

"Ye were hurt, Kagome. Rather grievously, I might add. Inuyasha brought ye to me."

Kagome sat up instantly and regretted her action. Her side felt as if it was on fire and she set a hand to the bandage that covered her. "Kaede? How long was I out?" 'Jeez. The last thing I remember is that dog's teeth.'

Kaede considered the girl across from her. Sure, she still looked like Kagome, for the most part. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Only a few hours. You were bitten by a feral dog demon, yes? The monk and the demon slayer told me about the fight."

Kagome nodded and Kaede sighed. "I was afraid of that. I know some about such creatures, and the harm their bites can bring, but even I have never seen such a thing." She reached for the small mirror she had placed near her and handed it to Kagome. "Ye need to see, but do not be frightened."

Kagome frowned but took the mirror. She closed her eyes, raised the device to her face and opened her eyes.

Her scream richocheted off the hillside, terrified the villagers and had Inuyasha trying both to break through the door and cover his ears at the same time.

* * *

_Well? Did you like it? Do you want more? evil laugh I could always stop it here, and then you'd never know the rest of it, would ya? ;) _

_Leave me a review. Tell me you want more. That's the only way I'll know to write the rest of what I have planned. :P  
_


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**_ Well, hello again. When I started this, I never expected it to be so popular. 15 reviews and 9 alerts with only two chapters! I truly am impressed. I really appreciate all the encouragement I've been getting._

_Here's the next chapter and we finally get to see what Kagome looks like. (Hint Hint: If anybody wants to draw her, go ahead. Just let me know. I like seeing art of stories like this ;) ) Still not a lot of interaction, but that's coming soon. Next chapter, probably._

_A few new terms in this chapter. Miko: priestess; Goshinboku: God Tree. If anybody finds any others, let me know. _

_On with the show!_

* * *

Kaede left the hut, wanting the girl to come to terms with her new countenance before any one else saw. She still did not let Inuyasha in, even though he threatened her with bodily harm. "Then ye shall never go in there." That shut him up. He decided he wasn't getting anywhere, so he went to Goshinboku, to sit and think. 

Inside, Kagome was forcing herself to breathe calmly and not hyperventilate. She looked so... She couldn't even think of a way to describe it. She didn't want to believe what she saw in the mirror, so she picked up the device again. She took a deep breath and looked into it, forcing herself to stay calm.

Yep, the image was still the same. The black dog ears which twitched on command, the slitted pupils, the markings that looked like scratches on her face. She raised a hand, noting the claws and traced her cheek. The markings on her face were similar to those that Inuyasha had any time he changed to a demon. 'I can cover those with makeup. I'll just have to be careful about rain.' The eyes and ears would be much harder to conceal. She supposed she could always wear sunglasses and she could put on a hat, but even that would get old after a while. 'Well, I have to do something. I can't go out looking like this.' She swallowed hard and put down her mirror.

She was glad Kaede had asked for her bag to be brought in. She still carried the yellow monster she'd first brought to the era. Sure, it wasn't quite so heavy since she didn't have any books to carry in it, but she still had a bunch of clothes and food and other things. She dug into the bottom, looking for everything she would need to pull off her look.

Inuyasha had gotten tired of sitting and thinking. He bounded back to the hut Kaede was in to see if he could get in yet. 'Dammit. The seal's still there.' He stuffed his hands in his sleeves and huffed. Well, he was tired of waiting around. 'I wonder where the pervert monk and Sango went.' He sniffed, then followed their trail to the village.

Kagome held her breath, letting it out only when she heard Inuyasha disappear. She had changed into the traditional priestess outfit, glad it still fit. It was long enough that it hid her feet from view, even when she walked. Her soles had grown tougher, even before she'd been changed. Now, she couldn't stand to have anything on her feet. The sleeves were also long enough to hide her hands, but she soon adopted a position much as Inuyasha had done, hands inside opposite sleeves.

The marks on her face were soon covered by her makeup and she'd noticed that her eyes still looked the same, save for the pupils, so as long as no one looked closely they wouldn't be able to tell. Her ears had been the hardest to hide. She'd finally decided that she could tie a handkerchief around them and she would still be able to hear easily. With one last look in the mirror, she decided she looked normal and took a deep breath. Now all she had to do was fool her friends.

Kaede returned to the hut then to find Kagome repacking her bag. She was a little surprised to see that the girl had adopted the red and white outfit that was traditional of priestesses. "Kagome? What are ye doing, child?"

Kagome turned slightly, smiling. There was the last place she had to be careful. If she smiled too big, her newly acquired fangs would show. "Just readying to leave, Kaede. We need to be looking for Naraku and soon." She stood and slung the yellow bag over her shoulder, along with a new bow and quiver full of arrows.

Kaede stopped her with a firm look. "Do ye know what your miko powers will do to ye? Will they harm ye or help? Will ye be able to fire your sacred arrows?" She sat down at the fire, stirring the coals.

That stopped Kagome. With her new form, and presumably demon blood in her veins, she didn't know how her powers would react. She lifted her arms, shaking back her sleeves to stare at her hands. She flexed her fingers, noting how sharp her claws were. She sighed and set the bag back down by the door, kneeling next to the fire. "Can you help me, Kaede? I don't want the others to know."

Kaede nodded solemnly. "Of course, Kagome. We should find out if your sacred arrows will harm ye or not. Bring one out and we will see."

Kagome did as she was bid, bringing one of her arrows to the fire. Even now, she could feel a slight pull in her veins, something she always noticed when she used her power. She held the arrow in one hand, concentrating on it. With her eyes closed, she could feel the power flare around her hand and take hold on the arrow. She opened one eye and nearly sighed with relief. The arrow was now a pale pink and was slightly humming with power.

Kaede examined the arrow and Kagome's hand. There was no sign of any damage, so that meant she could use her powers and fire her sacred arrows. "As I suspected. Your powers as a priestess helped to cause this change. That ye can use them as you normally would is a good sign. You will not have to worry about harming yourself, child."

Kagome smiled widely, revealing her new fangs. "Thank you, Kaede. I should probably be going now. Inuyasha's probably driven himself mad." She stood once more, made sure her disguise was firmly in place and picked up her bag and bow.

Kaede had one last thing for Kagome. She handed her a straw hat, one that most of the villagers would wear when working in the fields. "Here. This will help with your ears far more than that kerchief would." Kagome took the hat and put it on, tying it under her chin. Kaede paused, eying her curiously. "Now you really do resemble my sister. You may have an easier time traveling now."

Kagome made a face and shook her head. "I really wish I didn't have to do this, but I'm not about to frighten anyone if I don't have to. Thank you again, Kaede." She gave a small nod and left the hut, straightening her bag on her shoulders.

Kaede sighed and turned back to her fire. "When you look like Kikyou, you will have a reputation to uphold. You'll definitely find your travels more interesting, child." She smiled a bit, thinking how Inuyasha was going to react to Kagome's new appearance.

* * *

_Well? Did you like it? _ _Let me know. You all know how much I love reviews. :3 _

_Oh, and here's a little more incentive: If you leave reviews, you can have one of my famous cookies. ;) Still not good enough? Well, how about: Those that leave a signed review can get a sneak peek at some of the ideas I have in later chapters._

_Now. All you have to do is press that little button in the corner. :3_


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:**_ Hello again. Sorry about the wait for this chapter. I ran into a bit of writer's block while I was home._

_I appreciate all the reviews and the favs. I never imagined this story would be so popular. Well, I'm glad you are all liking it._

_To Amaterasu's Son: She is inu-hanyou. I say it in this chapter, but I thought I'd give you a heads-up before hand._

_Terms: hanyou half-demon, youkai demon. If I missed any, I'm sorry._

_On with the show!_

* * *

Inuyasha had gone to the village to try and alleviate his boredom. So far, he'd heard three different villagers tell him the same tale, all from a different point of view, he'd watched Miroku grope Sango and she'd slapped him no less than a dozen times, and Shippo had tried to use his fox magic on Inuyasha before being hit on the head.

Now, Inuyasha was looking for something to sharpen his claws on. He never liked sitting around and waiting for something to happen. That's why he always insisted that the group continue to move as often as possible. He was currently cracking his knuckles and glaring menacingly at the wall.

Miroku and Sango were as worried about Kagome as Inuyasha was, but they were much calmer about it. Indeed, they were sipping tea and discussing where to look for Naraku next.

"We've not been east to the sea yet. Perhaps we should try there next," Miroku remarked, flexing his fingers. Sango shook her head."We should travel west. There are lands near the Great Forest that haven't been explored yet."

Even Shippo put his two cents in. "The south has sun and a lot of fox tribes. Maybe we could go there."

Inuyasha just growled. Kagome would decide for them, and not before.

Kagome stood outside the inn, head bowed and her hands hidden in her sleeves. She looked as if she were thinking or praying, but rather she was steeling herself for the interrogation to come. 'I just have to stay calm. I'll be fine as long as I don't panic.' She took a deep breath and stepped forward, going to look for her friends.

Inuyasha caught the whiff of Kagome's scent long before he heard her. He brightened, sitting up a little straighter. That meant she was okay. He'd been worried about her.

Soon, even Miroku and Sango could hear someone shuffling down the corridor. They were all on their feet when the door opened, but what they saw surprised them. Gone was the short green skirt and white top. In it's place was the red and white of a priestess. On the girl's head there sat a straw hat, completely covering her face in shadow.

They all bent to get a look and heard a cough. "It's me, guys. I'm fine. We should really be going though." All eyes went wide and everyone took a step back. Kagome's voice had come from this unusually dressed person.

She lifted her head, just enough so that they could tell it really was her. "Well? Are we leaving or not?" She turned on a heel, retreating the way she'd come. The group scrambled to gather their belongings and were soon traipsing behind Kagome.

She breathed a sigh of relief. So far no one had voiced their opinions about her new outfit. For that she was grateful. That meant she wouldn't have to delve into a lengthy lie.

In truth, everyone was still stunned by the change that had come over Kagome. Sango wondered what Kagome was thinking. 'She's going to get herself killed, parading around like that. Priestess are like youkai magnets in that outfit.' Miroku's thought's were much more lecherous. 'I never realized how beautiful Kagome looked in red and white. Perhaps Sango will forgive me for desiring after Kagome.'

Shippo was a little curious about this 'new' Kagome, but he had no thoughts on the subject. Inuyasha, on the other hand, could barely breathe. At first, he thought Kikyou had returned to him, but when he smelled and heard Kagome, he was bewildered. He remembered long ago when she'd first worn the outfit. Then, she had been like a miniature Kikyou clone. Now, though... She definitely doesn't smell like Kikyou, although that feral dog smell is hanging around.' He scrunched up his nose and sneezed. It was definitely strong.

Kagome stiffened. Had Inuyasha smelled something strange about her? She chided herself on such thoughts and kept walking, heading east for a jewel shard they'd heard rumors of.

It was two days before Kagome spoke again. She could usually avoid saying anything by gestures or disappearing altogether. Everyone was beginning to wonder if anything had happened to this outspoken girl to make her turn to silence.

Even Inuyasha couldn't make sense of Kagome's speechlessness. He couldn't remember doing anything to make her mad at him, and even if he had, she would at least talk to the rest of the group. He also noticed that the feral dog smell, instead of fading, had remained constant. He had half a mind to turn around and return to Kaede to see if anything could be done, but he also wanted to find the rest of the shards.

Sango had tried a few times to approach Kagome to find out what was wrong, but the girl had shied away from her company so far. Tonight, she had a plan. They had stopped at a hot spring and everyone knew how hard it was for Kagome to resist such a temptation.

She was trying but the smell of the hot water and slight saltiness was luring her to the hot spring against her will. She made sure she wasn't able to be seen before stripping and sliding into the warmth with a sigh. She sank to sit on a rock and leaned back against the edge. Without thinking, she quickly washed away her makeup and soaped her hair.

Sango counted to one hundred then stood up, saying she was going to take a bath. She received nods of acknowledgement and left, creeping as slowly as she could. She was soon at the hot spring and when she saw Kagome lounging in the water, she gasped.

Kagome nearly screamed at the sound. She ducked down in the water, making sure her ears were tucked back against her head. She looked around, eyes narrowed as she readied her claws. Whoever was spying was going to pay.

Hurriedly, Sango made her way closer. "Kagome. It's just me. Please. Relax." If what she'd seen had been correct and not some trick, she knew the girl-turned-hanyou would be ready to kill if necessary. She knelt next the hot spring, hands on her knees. "It's alright. I'm not going to do anything."

Kagome relaxed but only marginally. "Sango. Now you know why I hide myself from everyone. I'm a freak, a monster." She held up her clawed hands, flexing them. "I shouldn't be alive," she whispered, clenching her hands into fists.

Sango smiled gently and shook her head. "But you are alive, Kagome. That must mean your purpose is still unfulfilled. Besides, I see neither 'freak' nor monster. You are a half-demon, true, but you are still Kagome and you still have your priestess powers." They'd seen her use her sacred arrows on a few of the demons they met with.

Kagome said nothing. She merely went back to staring at her hands.

Sango bit her lip, then stood slowly. "Perhaps I should speak to Inuyasha-"

"NO!" Kagome was at her friends side in an instant, gripping the demon-slayers wrist. "No one else can know. You aren't even supposed to know. Please," she said, pleading.

Sango sighed heavily. "All right. No one else will know." 'For know. Inuyasha will figure it out eventually. That nose of his can't be fooled forever.'

Kagome smiled, revealing the tips of her fangs. "Thank you, Sango." She slid back to her resting place to finish soaking.

Sango smiled and stripped, joining her friend. "You're welcome, Kagome. So tell me, how has this change affected you? I can see some physical aspects, but is there more?"

Kagome thought for a minute. 'I never wanted to tell anyone, but now that I can I'm sorta glad Sango found out.' She grinned and proceeded to tell her new confidant everything.

* * *

_Well, how was it? I was originally going to end with another cliffie but I think I'll save that for a bit. I also had a more... 'intense' reaction from Inuyasha, but decided that could also wait for a while._

_Any and all reviewers get cookies. Dark Side Soul cookies: Give us your soul and get a free cookie! (Insert evil laughter) _

_Anyway, leave me a review. You know you want to. _

_Later, peeps. Red out._


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **_Wow! Um… I feel a little bad about all the waiting I've made you folks do. I was honestly not expecting to be this stuck in writer's block. Thanks for sticking with me, though. _

_I'm rewatching the series so I have an idea of how I want this story to end. I'm not sure it's going to be very long, but I can promise it will at least be satisfying._

_**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha. I wish I did. I may be married, but having a half-demon locked in your basement is much more entertaining._

_*Demonica: What about me? Don't I count for anything?_

_Um… yes, but Inuyasha is half-dog demon. And male. … Don't kill me._

_On with the show!_

* * *

Sesshomaru had never been one to believe in silly rumors, but this one definitely had him intrigued. Tales of a feral dog demon roaming the countryside had been added to by the fact that the famous priestess Kagome had fought it off while grievously wounded.

That alone made the story worth investigating. He'd met the human and his half-brother many times before, but she'd never seemed the type to be able to hold her own in a battle when she was injured. Inuyasha had always taken over after that happened. He led his small traveling party east, following the trail of destruction.

He spotted his hanyou half-brother traveling with the monk and demon-slayer, but also a priestess. He saw no sign of the strange girl who always wore green and white. The wind carried a scent to his nose and he smirked. 'So the human has taken to dressing as a priestess. Very unusual.' He sniffed again, frowning this time. It smelled of feral dog and blood, but he saw no carcass nearby. He narrowed his eyes and had to work to suppress a smile.

He made Jaken stay put with Rin and Aun while he moved closer. Sesshomaru knew Inuyasha had a strong nose, but this was a subtle difference. The young priestess no longer smelled completely human. 'I wonder if Inuyasha has figured it out yet.' He paused on a ridge overlooking the group. Although his face was schooled in the indifferent expression he usually wore, his sadistic sense of humor behind his features was cackling madly. 'No, I don't believe he has.'

He could see the normal group trudging along. There was Inuyasha in the lead, followed closely by Shippou. Kagome and Sango were in the middle, apparently chatting. Miroku followed, though his eyes were on the demon-slayers rear than on the surroundings. Sesshomaru contemplated interrupting their travel for a brief glimpse into his half-brothers temper. It always gave him peace when he irritated the hanyou.

After a few minutes, he shook his head. There would be time for that shortly. He could already sense the demon that was approaching and he wanted to see how this new priestess handled herself. He had never seen a spiritual being take to demon blood well. This would be enjoyable, to say the least.

* * *

Inuyasha sensed the demon about the same time Kagome did. Both jerked their heads up and stared in the same direction. Kagome recovered quicker, although she was sure Shippou had seen something. She ducked her head back down and pulled the bow off her back. She could still shoot and she would let Inuyasha deal with the actual physical fighting.

In the road before them, a large snake appeared. Inuyasha unsheathed the Tetsusaiga and held in front of him. Sango's boomerang appeared in her hands, Miroku leveled his staff at it, and Kagome had an arrow notched and ready to fire.

For a few moments, nothing happened. The snake stared them down while the group held their ground. Kagome's eyes narrowed. 'Something doesn't feel right.' She felt the ground rumble and turned as another creature appeared from the earth behind them. She groaned, but brought her bow up to bear.

"Inuyasha, Sango! You take out the one in front. I'll handle this one!"

She let the arrow fly, hitting the creature in the eye. It howled in pain, but the arrow was not buried far enough in too much damage. As it spread its hood (and Kagome cringed at realizing it was a cobra), it hissed and streaked forward.

She would finally get a chance to put her new abilities to the test. She slung the bow back over her shoulder and took off running, darting to the branches and avoiding the trees. She led the snake away from the group as fast as she could, hoping to finish it off before Inuyasha decided he needed to rescue her.

* * *

Sesshomaru watched with great interest. The priestess had let one arrow fly, then taken off running. He knew she was not very strong, but he'd never seen her run quite that fast before. Usually she stayed near Inuyasha during a battle, knowing she would be protected. He left his perch to follow the girl, very interested now.

* * *

Inuyasha paid little heed to Kagome. If she had said she could handle one of the demons, that had to mean there were no shards powering the creatures.

Between his sword and Sango's boomerang, the creature was finished off with minimal damage to the surrounding area. After Inuyasha had sheathed his sword, he turned to ask how Kagome was faring with her demon. She was nowhere to be found.

"Kagome!" He sniffed the air, wondering where she could have gone. Her sent came to him, along with the feral dog demon, and yet another scent that set his hackles rising. "Sesshomaru," he growled, ears lowering. 'If he's hurt her in any way...' He took off as Sango yelled after him. He ignored her, darting through the trees.

* * *

Sango cringed. Kagome was in for a heap of trouble. If Inuyasha didn't find out now, it was going to be a miracle. She shook her head and gathered up Miroku and Shippou to follow the half-demon into the woods.

* * *

Kagome had led the snake demon to a clearing on the edge of a cliff. She was squaring off with it. Her hat had slid off her head, baring her fuzzy black ears. Her fangs were bared as well as her claws. The demon was reared back, still hissing at her.

She had completely forgotten about the bow and arrows on her back, her new primal instincts taking over. As it streaked toward her, she slashed at it, darting to the side.

* * *

Sesshomaru stopped at the edge of the clearing. 'Perhaps demon blood has strengthened this girl.' Watching her fight now was much more worthy of his attention than it had ever been before. He still held some disdain for her, since she was now half-demon, but she was holding her own.

He raised his nose to the wind, allowing himself a small smirk. If she did not wish to be caught by Inuyasha, he was going to have to intervene. 'Then again, it would be quite entertaining to see his reaction to this new development.' He stepped back into the trees, deciding against helping.

* * *

Inuyasha followed the scent through the trees, skidding to a stop at the edge of the clearing. He could see Kagome trading blow with the snake demon, and it confused him. Why wasn't she shooting it with her bow? He could still see flashes of her miko power but she was in hand-to-hand combat with it. It made no sense to him.

He thought to approach, but another scent caught his nose. His half-brother was around here somewhere. He sniffed the air, eyes narrowed. He would deal with this new development of Kagome's after he'd finished off Sesshomaru. He prowled back through the forest, trying to find him.

* * *

Sango trotted to a stop as she saw Kagome. She looked around quickly, glad that Miroku was slow and, apparently, Inuyasha had wandered off. She unslung her boomerang and launched it at the creature, lobbing off its head.

* * *

Kagome had been prepared to strike when the snake fell over dead. She looked up and saw Sango standing at the edge of the clearing. The demon-slayer motioned to her head, and Kagome frowned. She imitated the motion and realized she wasn't wearing her hat. She squeaked and quickly pulled it back on, darting a glance around. No one else was in sight, so she heaved a sigh of relief.

"Was there anybody else that saw?" She asked Sango, and the demon-slayer shook her head.

"Inuyasha came this way, but I don't know if he saw anything. He wasn't here when I got here."

Kagome bit her lip, forgetting for a moment that she had fangs now. She raised a hand to her mouth at the pain and came away with blood. 'Ugh. Darn it.'

* * *

Inuyasha couldn't find Sesshomaru, so he trotted back to the clearing. Kagome and Sango were standing close together, whispering quietly. He saw that Kagome was wearing her hat again. He grumbled under his breath as he approached. A faint scent drifted to his nose. 'Blood? Wait. That's Kagome's blood!'

He was at Kagome's side before she could react. He was staring at her hand, the one she'd held to her mouth. There was blood on her finger and Inuyasha was staring at it, eyes narrowed.

Kagome stiffened. Hurriedly, she stuck her finger in her mouth. She had to duck her head, so Inuyasha wouldn't try to look at her. 'That was close.'

Inuyasha stared at Kagome. He was sure something wasn't right, but he still couldn't put his finger on it. Somehow, Sango knew but wasn't telling. He could see it in her guilty expression.

'I will find out what you two are hiding.'

* * *

**End note: **_Well? How was that for a chapter after such a long hiatus? I hope it was okay. My writing's been a little rusty. Any comments/concerns/questions are greatly appreciated._

_Again, thanks for sticking by me this whole time. All reviews are welcomed, even if they're bad ones. :D_


	6. Chapter 6

**_Author's Note: _**_Hey! Look at that! 5 chapters and over 50 reviews! You guys are super awesome! Thanks a bunch._

_So, I finished rewatching Inuyasha, watched all four movies, and watched Final Act. I must say, I do enjoy the way the series ended. I'm sad, yes, but in a good way._

_If you haven't seen it, I won't spoil anything for you. You'll just have to enjoy it on your own._

_I'm starting to think this story isn't going to last much longer. There will be a few more chapters, but I don't think it'll go over ten. If you guys have any requests about who you want to see appear in the next chapter, please let me know._

_In the meantime, on with the show!_

* * *

The next few weeks were relatively uneventful. Kagome carefully guarded her secret for the first few days, then relaxed. It seemed to her that no one had found out her new look, and no one was going to.

Sango was still the only person Kagome could talk to about this. It was nice to have a friendly ear once in a while, and Kagome made sure that if there was a hot spring nearby, they would take advantage of it.

Their latest conquest was a toad demon that had been implanted with two Sacred Jewel shards. He was an easy kill for Kagome, and Inuyasha didn't even have to draw his sword. Since they were near a hot spring, the two young women decided to take a dip.

Kagome was in the water before Sango could blink. The demon-slayer laughed slightly as she took a little more time in removing her clothes and sliding into the steamy water. Kagome had her eyes closed with a blissful smile on her face. Sango took the time to study the girl a little more.

The stripes on her cheeks were a rust color, a slightly darker red than Inuyasha's fire-rat robe. The dark ears on top of her head twitched at every little sound. The musculature of her face seemed sleeker and more defined. Even Kagome's shoulders seemed to look stronger.

Kagome blinked her eyes open to see Sango staring at her. "What? Is there something on my face?" She lifted her hands to pat at her cheeks.

Sango laughed and shook her head. "No. I didn't mean to stare, Kagome. I was just comparing your new face with your old one." She settled down into the water and sighed. The girl's new golden eyes were almost as expressive as Inuyasha's, and the claws on her hands were more pronounced.

Kagome frowned, settling back into the water. "It's not that different, is it?"

Sango chuckled, ducking under the water for a moment to wet her hair, before she responded. "It's a little different, but it's still basically you." She moved closer and laid a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Don't fret, Kagome. I'm still the only one who knows."

* * *

Back at camp, Miroku was stoking up the fire, Inuyasha was staring moodily off into the distance while his ears twitched backwards, and Shippo was trying to be helpful with the fish they were grilling.

"If you're so worried about her, why don't you just ask her what's wrong?" Shippo watched Inuyasha curiously as he spoke. The kit was trying to learn what, exactly, would set Inuyasha off. He was rewarded with a 'Keh!' and a too-casual toss of the hanyou's head.

"She's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

Miroku smirked to himself as he stared at the fire. "Inuyasha, we all know you made a promise to protect Kagome. Surely this is part of that promise?"

Inuyasha shook his head, his grip tightening on Tetsuiaga.

Shippo turned thoughtful, then perked up. "I'll go ask her then." He bounded off before Inuyasha could reach out and grab him.

With a low growl, Inuyasha bounded after the fox kit. 'I'm going to string up the little brat.'

* * *

Kagome had closed her eyes and was just starting to relax when she heard something crash through the underbrush. Instinctively, she ducked further into the water, her nose just barely clear. Her ears flattened to her head and she cracked her knuckles below the water.

Sango's eyes widened as she saw the almost instantaneous change in Kagome. There was a definite shift in the girl's aura and she knew it could be very bad for what poor creature was about to stumble upon them.

Kagome sniffed, nearly getting water up her nose, then growled. There were two creatures coming through the trees at them, and one of them was a very recognizable scent. She closed her eyes and whispered to Sango. "It's Shippo and Inuyasha. Just relax, and I'll handle it."

Sango nodded, sinking lower into the water.

* * *

Shippo had wisely decided that leading Inuyasha to Kagome while bathing was probably not a good idea for him. He bounded past the pool and hid himself, hoping Inuyasha wouldn't find him.

As Inuyasha neared the hot spring, he slowed. Shippo's scent was getting overpowered by the salty water and he rubbed at his face. 'Stupid fox. He's going to get himself killed.'

Kagome heard Inuyasha close by and decided she didn't want to run the risk of him finding her and Sango like this. Raising her head above the water, she drew in a deep breath, kept an ear cocked, and yelled as loud as she could.

"Inuyasha, Sit!"

The words rang through the trees and both Sango and Inuyasha cringed, though for entirely different reasons.

However, there was no resounding 'Thud!' as Inuyasha hit the dirt. Kagome frowned, Sango's eyes widened, and Inuyasha froze in his tracks.

He lifted a hand to the rosary about his neck and touched the beads gingerly. They didn't tingle against his fingertips and he was able to lift them off his chest. Glancing around, he tried to lift the beads over his head.

For the first time in nearly four years, he was able to look directly at the beads of subjugation that had tormented him. Ever since Kagome had come through the well, he had been at her mercy. Now, he was free. He pocketed the beads and headed straight for the hot spring, to confront Kagome directly.


End file.
